Automatic dyeing apparatus.



No. 757,478. PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

J. MARSHALL. A

AUTOMATIC DYEING APPARATUS. A APPLIOATION nun JAN. 7, 1904.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES INVENTOI? m: NDRRAS PETERS co mom-mum wAsmNc-Yom 05c.

UNITED STAT S Patented April 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFIcE.

AUTOMATIC DYEING APPARATUS- SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,478, dated April 19, 1904.

' Application filed January '7, 1904. Serial N0.188,031. (N model.)

River, in the countyof Bristol and State of- Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Automatic Dyeing Apparatus, of which" the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dyeing-vats holding a quantity of dye liquor in which the materials to be dyed are placed and generally stirred with a fork or pole by an attendant, the process requiring open vats from which the steam and dye fumes are obnoxiously escaping and which isdependent for uniform penetration and admixture of the dye upon the skill and faithfulness of the attendant. l

The object of my invention is not only to do away with the attendant, but to perform the operation in a much more thorough and uniform manner without damage to the materials and in a closed vat from which the steam and fumes may be led away through a flue; also, to keep the various lots of similar materials being treated for the same color,

separate, as is often desirable, and now requires separate operations. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatuswith the cap removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the cap in position. Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the apparatus on line A.

In all the figures like numerals relate to like parts.

1 is a base-frame sustaining the semicircular vat 2. A shaft 3 is attached to one side of the frame, having at one end a driving-wheel 4., to which power is communicated by the belt 5 from a motor-shaft 6. At the other end of the shaft 3,which is journaled in suitable boxes, is a pinion-gear 7 ,(see Figs. 2 and 3,) which meshes into a large gear 8, journaled in suitable boxes 9. This gear is connected by a bar 10 to a similar gear-wheel 11, also journaled in suitable boxes 12. The gear 11 meshes into a smaller gear 13," which drives a shaft 14, running longitudinally and centrally through the whole length of the vat. This shaft is supplied with a series of stirring-forks 15, arranged as shown in plan, Fig. 2, and section, Fig. 4. The vat is divided longitudinally into sections separated by perforated cross-partitions 16, rising above the level of the dye liquor. The forks extend from the shaft as near the bottom of the vat as practicable and operate freely between the sections. A water-pipe 17 supplies water, and a steam-pipe 8, arranged along one side of the vat,introduces steam through the curved pipes 19 into the bottom of each section. An outletpipe 20 discharges the liquid contents of the entire vat. A cover 21 incloses the top, having a hinged door 22 at one side, and an outlet-flue 23 carries off the steam and fumes. By the arrangement of the gears, the pinion-gear 7 being very small, a slow gentle motion is communicated to the stirring-fingers 15, and by the adjustment of the connecting-bar between the gears 8 and 11 this motion is made reciprocating, the same as hand-stirring with a fork or pole. The gear 8 has one spoke provided with a series of bolt-holes 2e. (See Fig. 3.) If the bar 10 is bolted near the center of the gear, its radius is so short that its rotary motion will communicatea reciprocatory motion to the gear 11. Where the connecting-bar is bolted near the periphery, this motion can be adjustably lengthened, so as to raise the materials being dyed at each side alternately above the dye'liquor, where they are suspended while the bar 10 is crossing the center of gear 8. The'motion being slow, this period of suspension is sufficient to let the materials absorb the dye, which they do better when so lifted into the atmosphere than if they are at all times simply stirred below the surface of the liquor. The connecting-bar 10 can also be so adjusted as to make the motion of the stirring-fingers a complete rotary motion, which under some circumstances is desirable.

Having thus described my invention, what ent, is

1. Inan automatic dyeing apparatus, the combination of a Vat adapted to hold dye liquor, perforatedpartitions separating said vat into cross-sections, a longitudinal shaft passing through said partitions, and forks arranged upon said shaft operating between I claim, and desire to secure by Letters ,Pat-

ciable time whereby the dye is absorbed into the fabric, lowering the materials and stirring them through the liquor, raising'them at the opposite side, an appreciable suspension, and automatically repeating the process by a reciprocatory movement substantially as described and shown.

3. In an automatic dyeing-apparatus the combination of a vat adapted to hold dye liquor, perforated cross-partitions dividing said vat into sections, through which the dye liquor flows and wherein different materials to be dyed may be arranged to be dyed in the one operation, a longitudinal shaft passing through said partitions, and forks operating in each section to stir and raise the materials with a reciprocatory movement substantially as described and shown.

4. In an automatic dyeing apparatus the combination of a vat adapted to hold dye liquor, perforated partitions dividing said Vat into cross-sections a longitudinal shaft carrying radiating forks operating between said sections arranged in said vat, means to give a reciprocatory movement to said shaft, and means to limit the extent of said movement substantially as described and shown.

5. In a dyeing apparatus the combination of an inclosed vat adapted to hold dye liquor, perforated partitions dividing said vat into cross-sections, means for stirring the materials to be dyed automatically within said inclosure actuated and controlled from without, steam and water admission conduits controlled from without, and a vent to said inclosure for carrying away the vapors arising from the dye liquor, substantially as described and shown.

6. In an automatic dyeing apparatus the combination of a vat adapted to hold dye liquor, perforated partitions dividing said vat into cross-sections, a longitudinal shaft through the vat, stirring-forks operating between said partitions radiating from said JAMES MARSHALL.

-Witnesses:

THOS. D. ToRNEY, BRONSON S. BURR. 

